Dwell time apparatus

ABSTRACT

An air sterilizing apparatus is created which can be set within an environment without adversely affecting people, pets, or plants within the environment such as a room. The apparatus uses a passage through which ambient air passes. The passage has a treatment chamber in which ultraviolet light (ideally UV-C) is used to sterile the ambient air. Each end section of the passage is configured to block light from exiting the passage. In the preferred embodiment, each end section includes a coating of UV adsorbing material to provide further protection to the environment from the UV light.

PRIORITY

Priority for this application is claimed from U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 16/873,580, filed on May 11, 2020, and entitled “SterilizingMechanism”.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

At the present time, and into the foreseeable future, there is asignificant need to provide protection to the populace from air borneand contact pathogens such as bacterium and viruses. A variety ofchemicals and treatments have been developed which are used to protectthe populace.

It has long been known that ultraviolet (UV) light has the affect ofsterilizing bacterium and if emitted in certain wave lengths (UV-C) caneven sterilize viruses. Unfortunately, UV-C is also harmful to humans,pets, and plants so must be used only when the area is isolated.Typically, a UV-C generating apparatus is placed within a vacant room,the windows are blocked, and then the UV-C generator is activated for aperiod of time. This methodology is used in operating rooms overnight tosterilize the operating room when not in use.

Such UV generators are described in: U.S. Pat. No. 10,221,081, entitled“UV Sensor” issued to Kruger et al. on Mar. 5, 2019; U.S. Pat. No.10,583,212, entitled “Portable UV-C Disinfection Apparatus, Method andSystem” issued to Ufkes on Mar. 10, 2020; U.S. Pat. No. 10,556,025,issued to Ufkes on Feb. 11, 2020; U.S. Pat. No. 10,441,671, entitled“Disinfecting Apparatus” issued to Sobhy et al. on Oct. 5, 2019; U.S.Pat. No. 10,376,604, entitled “Sterilization Units, Systems, andMethods” issued to Romo et al. on Aug. 13, 2019; and U.S. Pat. No.10,265,540, entitled “Mobile Device Case with Ultraviolet LightSanitizer and Light Therapy” issued to Yehezkel on Apr. 23, 2019; all ofwhich are incorporated hereinto by reference.

As noted, UV-C has some significant disadvantages which means thetechnology cannot be used in a continuous manner within a room whichmight be habituated. For this reason, the use of UV and UV-C has beensignificantly limited.

It is clear there is a need for a continuously operating sterilizer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An air sterilizing apparatus is created which can be operated within anenvironment, such as a diner or theatre, without adversely affectingpeople, pets, or plants within the room. The apparatus uses a passagethrough which ambient air passes. The passage has a treatment chamber inwhich ultraviolet light (ideally UV-C) is used to sterilize the ambientair. Each end section of the passage is configured to block light fromexiting the passage.

In the preferred embodiment, each end section also includes a coating ofUV adsorbing material to provide further protection to the environmentfrom the UV light. This provides assurance that UV light is not escapingto adversely affect people.

The ideal UV applied is UV-C which has been shown to have the desiredeffect on viruses and bacterium. Other UV light wave lengths are obviousto those of ordinary skill in the art.

Because of this structure, more powerful UV light may be used withoutfear. The present invention provides a sterilizing unit which is capableof being used among humans, plants, and animals.

To accomplish its objectives, the apparatus provides for a chamberthrough which ambient air is pulled. The ambient air passes by anUltra-violet (UV) light to neutralize viruses and bacterium. Thepreferred UV light is in the UV-C range to sanitize a broad range ofbacterium and viruses. The UV light is contained within the chamber andthrough the use of baffles at the ends and the like to prevent the UVlight from escaping the chamber.

Further embodiments place, at the both ends of the chamber, a coating ofa UV adsorbing material is added for further protection from accidentalexposure to the UV. Even a black coating has some of the desiredaffects.

Those of ordinary skill in the art readily recognize a variety of UVadsorbing materials which can be used in this context, including, butnot limited to: U.S. Pat. No. 10,605,813, entitled Ultraviolet AbsorbingPolymeric Dyes and Methods for Using the Same” issued to Lian et al. onMar. 31, 2020; U.S. Pat. No. 10,428,236, entitled “Polyurethane UreaResin Composition Exhibiting UV-Absorption-Agent Resistance, Molded BodyUsing said Composition, and Coating Material” issued to Kawaguchi et al.On Oct. 1, 2019; and U.S. Pat. No. 10,228,375, entitled “UltravioletAbsorbing Polymeric Dyes and Methods for Using the Same” issued to Lianget al. on Mar. 12m, 2019; all of which are incorporated hereinto byreference.

In one embodiment of the invention the interior of the treatment chamberis mirrored or UV-reflective so that the UV light is maximized to obtainmaximal disinfecting capability. This also provides maximal saturationfor the ambient air.

In another embodiment of the invention, the UV light is focused throughthe use of a prism or lens to concentrate the UV affect onto a selectedarea through which the ambient air passes. By concentrating the UVlight, a much wider range of sterilization is obtained.

Another embodiment of the invention addresses the sterilization ofsurfaces by providing for the treatment chamber to be openable (eitherautomatically or by remote control) to expose the UV light to the roomwhen it is vacated. In this manner, the room is subjected to enhancedsterilization when not occupied.

In this embodiment, there is preferable an alarm, either visual orauditory so that humans are warned of the situation.

Another enhancement for this aspect is the use of a motion sensor whichcurtails operation of the UV generator when the chamber is open andmotion is sensed in the room. This prevents humans or animals fromaccidentally being exposed to the UV.

Those of ordinary skill in the art readily recognize a variety ofmechanisms which can be used in this context, including, but not limitedto: U.S. Pat. No. 10,634,299, entitled “Motion Sensor Based LightingFixture Operation” issued to Wright et al. on Apr. 28, 2020; and Pat.No. 10,645, entitled “Smart Motion Detection Device and RelatedDetermining Method” issued to Yet et al. on May 5, 2020; both of whichare incorporated hereinto by reference.

By allowing the opening of the treatment chamber to expose the entireroom, surfaces are also sterilized. In the example of a diner, operatingduring the day, the apparatus sterilizes the air to reduce the chance ofinfection; at night when the diner is closed, the open treatment chamberexposes all of the surfaces to sterilize them as well so that when thediner again opens. The entirety of the diner is sterilized for use.

In another aspect of the invention, a number of treatment chambers areused into which ambient air is trapped and treated for the desired dwelltime before the now-treated air is released back into the room. Thisaspect of the invention provides for expanded dwell time for the ambientair being exposed to the UV light. The preferred embodiment usesmultiple transparent channels (ideally glass) passing through thetreatment chamber allowing the UV source to treat all the air within thechannels. Ambient air is drawn into a channel and the channel is thenclosed (either at the entry or the exit end) causing the ambient air tostop movement for the desired dwell time. While one channel is closed,another (which has already been treated) is opened to be exhausted intothe room.

The opening/closing of the channel is ideally done using a rotatingbaffle which opens or closes a channel for the desired time. Those ofordinary skill in the art recognize a variety of other mechanisms whichwill accomplish this goal.

Another technique to provide the dwell time is to either use a fan or abaffle which temporarily stops the airflow through the treatmentchamber. In this manner, the dwell time may be adjusted to the desiredlevel.

The invention together with various embodiments thereof will be morefully explained by the accompanying drawings and the followingdescription thereof.

DRAWINGS IN BRIEF

FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate the preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates the affect that magnifying glass has upon theconcentration of UV light being applied to the ambient air stream.

FIG. 3 illustrates the preferred embodiment for creating the desireddwell time.

DRAWINGS IN DETAIL

FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate the preferred embodiment of the invention.

The apparatus 10 is divided into three basic sections: a first endsection 10A, a second end section 10B, and a treatment chamber 10C.Ambient air is pulled by fan 12 from the first end 10A through thetreatment chamber 10C and then out through end 10B. While thisillustration shows the fan 12 pulling the ambient air, in anotherembodiment, the fan 12 is located at the opposing end and pushes the airthrough apparatus 10.

Located with the treatment chamber 10C is UV light source 15 which, inthis illustration is connected to panel 14A which can be raised to panelposition 14B to expose the UV light source 15 to the room's environment.

UV adsorbing materials 11A and 11B are located near baffles 9A and 9B.Baffles 9A and 9 b are structured to assure that the UV light from UVlight source 15 is not allowed to exit apparatus 10. The UV adsorbingmaterials 11A and 11B also provide assurance that UV light does notescape from apparatus 10.

In this embodiment, when the room is empty of humans, pets, and plants,UV light source 15 is raised by motor 16 as indicated by arrows 19 toexpose UV light source 15. In this position, the surfaces within theroom are treated to UV rays for sterilization purposes.

Exposing the UV light source 15 by motor 16 is either remotelycontrolled 18A or is set to operate from a timer 18B. In like manner,closing 14B is also done by motor 16 which is controlled by remote 18Aor timer 18B.

Because the UV rays are harmful to humans, this embodiment utilizes avariety of safety measures. When open 14B, light beacon 17 is activated(alternatively an audio alarm is sounded). Further, motion sensor 18C isalso used to sense if a human is in the room and if so, the UV lightsource 15, using motor 16, is again positioned within apparatus 10.

To obtain a lengthened dwell time within the treatment container 10C, inthis embodiment, fan 12 is operated for a short period to draw theambient air into treatment chamber 10C and then allowed to rest thereuntil fully treated when it will then be exhausted by fan 12.

FIG. 2 illustrates the affect that magnifying glass has upon theconcentration of UV light being applied to the ambient air stream.

UV light source 20 is positioned so that it's emissions pass throughmagnifying lens 21 to focus, as illustrated 22, the focused rays ontoambient air stream 23. In this way, the concentrated UV rays have moreimpact upon the bacterium and viruses within ambient air stream 23.

FIG. 3 illustrates the preferred embodiment for creating the desireddwell time.

In this embodiment, within container 30 are four differentchannels/tubes 31A, 31B, 31C, and 31D, which are preferably made ofglass or other transparent material allowing the UV rays (not shown) topenetrate to the ambient air flowing through the channels/tubes 31A,31B, 31C, and 31D.

A fan (not shown for clarity purposes) draws the ambient air into thechannels/tubes 31A, 31B, 31C, and 31D, but, the channels or tubes areperiodically opened to the fan using plate 32 (mounted as indicated byarrows 34) which slowly rotates allowing portal 33 to selectivelyopen/close a channel or tube. By controlling the speed of rotation ofplate 32 and the length of the channels/tubes 31A, 31B, 31C, and 31D,the desired dwell time of the ambient air within is controlled.

It is clear that the present invention provides a continuously operatingsterilizer.

What is claimed is:
 1. A sterilizing apparatus comprising: a) a passagecommunicating ambient air therethrough, said passage having a treatmentchamber therein and a first and second end sections, each end sectionconfigured to block light from the treatment chamber from escapingthrough the first end section and the second end section; b) anultraviolet light source located within the treatment chamber; c) atleast two ultraviolet light permeable channels through the treatmentchamber; and, d) dampening apparatus for selectively restricting flow ofambient air through all but one of the ultraviolet light permeablechannels.
 2. The sterilizing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein arotation of the plate is chosen to obtain a desired dwell time of theambient air within each of the at least two ultraviolet light permeablechannels.
 3. The sterilizing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein theultraviolet light source generates light in the UV-C range.
 4. Thesterilizing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein an interior portionof the treatment chamber is reflective of ultraviolet light.
 5. Asterilizing apparatus comprising: a) a passage communicating ambient airtherethrough, said passage having a treatment chamber therein and afirst and second end sections; b) a treatment mechanism contained withinthe treatment chamber, said treatment mechanism emitting UV light; c) atleast two ultraviolet light permeable channels through the treatmentchamber; and, d) dampening apparatus for selectively restricting flow ofambient air through all but one of the ultraviolet light permeablechannels wherein the dampening apparatus comprises a motor rotating aplate having an opening therethrough, said plate being positioned at anend of the at least two ultraviolet light permeable channels.
 6. Thesterilizing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the treatmentmechanism is an ultraviolet light source.
 7. The sterilizing apparatusaccording to claim 6, wherein the ultraviolet light source generateslight in the UV-C range.
 8. The sterilizing apparatus according to claim5, wherein a rotation of the plate is chosen to obtain a desired dwelltime of the ambient air within each of the at least two ultravioletlight permeable channels.
 9. The sterilizing apparatus according toclaim 8, wherein an interior portion of the treatment chamber isreflective of ultraviolet light.
 10. A sterilizing apparatus comprising:a) at least two ultraviolet light permeable channels contained within atreatment chamber; and, b) a dampening apparatus for selectivelyrestricting airflow through all but one of the channels wherein thedampening apparatus comprises a motor rotating a plate having an openingtherethrough, said plate being positioned at an end of the at least twoultraviolet light permeable channels.
 11. The sterilizing apparatusaccording to claim 10, wherein a rotation of the plate is chosen toobtain a desired dwell time of air within each of the at least twochannels.